Fire crews from different agencies fought back flames that engulfed a home on Howard Hill Place in Sebastian County for nearly two hours in temperatures that soared to about 111 degrees.

"The challenge is the heat, definitely. It's already hot out here. I'm not sure what the temperature is out here, but it'll give you 15 to 20 minutes per man, and boy, you're just exhausted," said White Bluff-Rye Hill Fire Chief Jim Almond.

Almond said each firefighter carries about 80 pounds of gear into a fire, and the hot weather can take a toll on his crew.

"(There's) exhaustion, just tired. You know it just takes a lot out of you. I mean, everybody’s OK, you’ve got fluids in the (truck), so we’re doing alright," said Almond.

Paramedics said people who work outside in the heat all the time may not realize the effect it has on the body.

“The thing to keep in mind is taking your time, taking breaks often, staying hydrated, staying in the shade the best you can, staying in an environment if you can where there will be some active cooling," said Tim Goodman, a paramedic, for Fort Smith Emergency Medical Services.

Goodman said hydration is the key.

“They bring coolers and they’ve got water donated to our department. Everyone brings what they can -- Gatorade and whatever to keep the moisture in them, get fluids in them," said Goodman.

The chief says in addition to keeping his crews hydrated, wet towels and bags of ice are also used to make sure firefighters aren’t faced with heat exhaustion.